The Orange Sunset and the Red Dawn
by AnimeandFanficLover
Summary: Orihime, the eldest daughter of King Il, and the older sister to Yona. Happy, carefree, and innocent. The life of the princess has its perks. Then everything changes when she loses her first love. Now, she determined to change the kingdom of Kouka into something better. But with Yona and Hak at her side, would she be able to succeed? AU later on.
1. Princess Orihime

**(A/N: Here's a new story/fanfic! A crossover with Bleach fanfic! I just finished watching Yona of the Dawn, and I have to say I find the anime kind of above average. The only reason I was I watched is because of Hak. Hak is best boy of the anime! Anyway, there is one thing I want to say, this isn't a Yona/Hak fanfic. As much as I love the pairing, there is no Yona/Hak. It hurts me to have to say that, but I want to go a bit different. This is a Hak/Orihime pairing. For one, I love Hak, and two, there needs to be more crossovers with Orihime as the main character. And I just thought Orihime and Hak would look go together, so sue me. If you don't like the pairing, simply don't read. It's not that hard. Plus, I only watched the anime, haven't read the manga (and don't plan to), so, as far as I'm concerned I haven't really seen how much Yona/Hak developed. All I know is that Hak has a crush on her, but hides it behind a teasing and snarky attitude. They are a cute couple. Love them to pieces, but I want something different. There are plenty of Yona/Hak fanfics out there anyway. Me not doing one is **_**not**_** the end of the world. It's not like it's the first time people don't follow canon pairings, even after the story's done. So there!**

**Oh, by the way, even though I say this is a crossover with Bleach, it's really just a minor crossover. There is no plot or anything from Bleach. Just the characters. Well, two of them. Ichigo and Orihime. Ichigo/Orihime was in the past, and Hak/Orihime would happen in the future. Well, that's it. Enjoy! I don't own Bleach or Yona of the Dawn.)**

* * *

Princess Orihime

"Father!" a young, bubbly girl's voice rang. Her tiny feet padded against the wooden floorboards of the castle. A small girl, by the age of seven, bounced through the walls and into her father's, King Il's, quarters. She had ivory pale skin, gray, doe eyes, and chin length. What was the most unique about her features was the color of her hair. It was as auburn and bright as the setting sun. "Father! Where's Yona?"

The king paused at his work to gaze at his elder daughter. "Orihime, what is it?" he asked. The king was large and kind of fat, but he was also gentle and kind. That's what the girl loved about her father. His kindness.

"Where's Yona, Father?" Orihime repeated, eagerly, bouncing on her feet.

The king smiled at his energetic daughter. "Yona?" the king hummed thoughtfully. "I believe she's playing outside with Soo-Won and Hak."

"What?" the little auburn haired gaped, worry beginning to etch on her face. "It's snowing outside! Oh, Yona! Did she remember to wear a coat? She'll get sick!"

The king chuckled as he watched his worrywart daughter go.

* * *

"Yona! Yona!" Orihime shouted for her younger sister. She finally spotted her on the courtyard. Her bright, red hair was hard to miss. Piles of snow filled the yard, and she witnessed an irate Yona viciously throw snowballs at a young, five year old boy, who was laughing in a playfully mocking way. He had dark hair and electric blue eyes. The boy's name was Hak, and he was a childhood friend of the princesses.

"Yona!" the elder princess called out the redhead. She carefully climbed down the porch. "What's going on?"

At the sound of her sister's voice, Yona stopped her angry assault on Hak and ran up to her older sister with tears on her face. "Sister!" Yona cried, burying her face in the older princess's chest and wrapping her tiny arms around her waist. "Hak's being mean to me!" she whined. "He said that if it keeps snowing, I would be covered in snow because I'm so small!"

"Hak!" Orihime frowned disapprovingly at the boy. "Behave. Play nice with my sister."

With a smug expression still plastered on his face, Hak stared at the older princess. "Oh, hey, Princess Orihime," he spoke nonchalantly. He gave her a once over, noticing the crumbs on her face. "By the way, Princess, have you been stuffing your face again. Your cheeks are chubby."

Orihime's face instantly flushed red in embarrassment. She pouted, puffing out her cheeks in irritation. "Hak, you meanie! My cheeks are not chubby!" She furiously wiped her face with the back of her yellow kimono. "I couldn't help it. The dumplings were so good!"

Hak just laughed at her, which caused her face to become even redder.

"Urgh! Don't laugh at my sister!" Yona roared, once again chasing the irritating boy with piles of snowballs in her hand.

Orihime watched the scene with a fond smile. Yona was her little sister by four years. She was always such a lively child. Ever since their mother died, Orihime has been looking after Yona. She's kind of been both a sister and mother to her. The auburn haired princess absolutely adored her younger sister.

Hak was the princess' friend. He was such a rude child. Mean and mischievous. He was the adopted grandson of General Mundok of the Wind Clan. He was also like an impertinent, little brother to her. He was currently in training with Mundok to become the next general after him. Orihime was not one to say this, but Hak was such an uncouth brat.

"Ah! Princess Orihime! Great to see you!"

Recognizing that voice, Orihime beamed and turned around. "Soo-Won!" she chirped, happily at seeing her baby cousin. Her cousin had such silky smooth skin and a feminine face. He was prettier than most girls she knew. He had light brown hair and turquoise green eyes.

She went over and gleefully petted his head. "How are you doing, Soo-Won?" she asked kindly.

The young boy smiled good naturedly at his older cousin. "I'm doing wonderfully," he replied. "I see that you are back from cooking session."

"It's more like stuffing her face session," Hak snarked from the background.

"How rude!" Orihime frowned. "Listen, you." She pointed a dramatic finger at him. "I only stuff my face _after_ the lesson," she corrected as if that little tidbit made any difference.

Soo-Won chuckled humorously. "I don't think that's helping your case, Princess Orihime."

Orihime blinked. Then she realized what she came out here for. "Yona, go and wear something warm. You'll catch a cold!"

Yona waved at her older sister, all anger vanishing. "I'm fine, Sister. I won't catch a cold."

And sure enough, a week later, she did.

* * *

A young Princess Yona was lying sick in bed. She felt awful. Her face was flushed, her body was hot, her throat feels dry, and her nose was stuffy. Her sister, Princess Orihime, had taken time off her studies and lessons to take care of her.

"I told you to wear a coat," Orihime scolded Yona, placing a hot towel on her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Sister," Yona rasped out apologetically through fits of light coughing.

The older princess just sighed fondly. "Yona, you just rest and get well." She put the bowl of hot water aside, and grabbed the rice porridge one of the maids left. She picked up a spoon full of the porridge and blew on it, so that it was nice and cool. "Now, say 'ahhh'," she instructed, hovering the spoon over her sister's mouth.

Yona grinned and opened her mouth as wide as she possibly could. Her sister poured the delicious porridge into her mouth, and she hummed in delight. "Where are Soo-Won and Hak?" she asked after swallowing.

"Soo-Won his with his father, and Hak is with his guardian," Orihime answered, feeding Yona another spoonful of porridge.

The violet eyes of the red haired princess gaze at her older sister worriedly. "Sister, you should go, or else you'll catch my cold."

Orihime beamed. "Don't worry, Yona. My body's strong!" she puffed proudly. "I don't catch colds!"

Yona awed at her sister.

"What she means is that idiots don't catch colds."

Both princesses started, eyes wide and staring at Hak and Soo-Won by the door.

"Hak? Soo-Won? What are you guys doing here?" the redhead asked.

"I thought you guys were at the meeting?" Orihime inquired, feeding her baby sister another spoonful of rice porridge.

"The meetings over," Hak deadpanned.

"Rei-Son is looking for you, Princess Orihime," Soo-Won added in. "He said to fetch you for your history lesson."

"Aww! I hate history!" the auburn haired princess pouted.

Her little cousin tilted his head in confusion. "And why's that?" he inquired.

"Because it's boring!" she complained loudly. "It's just battles, battles, and more battles! Why are people fighting all the time? If everyone got along, think of how much happier everyone will be! Then everyone can play together, pick flowers, play in the snow, lots of things together!"

Hak stalked towards her, and flicked her forehead, earning painful yelp from the older princess. "Sorry, Princess," he said in a tone that was filled with fake sincerity. The mischievous glint in his eyes and the annoying smirk were all added clues to his lack of tact. "I had to make sure your head was filled with things other than hot air," he teased her.

"That's a _mean_ thing to say, Hak!" Orihime whined. She huffed indignantly, returning back to feeding her sister. "My head is the same as everybody else's," she added.

The raven haired boy snorted. "If you call being an airheaded ditz normal."

"Be quiet, meanie!" she shouted, her cheeks puffed out and her face red with anger.

Soon enough, the door and it revealed a very irate middle age man with a goatee. His furious, green eyes scanned the room until he spotted a certain auburn haired princess. His lips turned into a snarl.

"Princess Orihime!" he growled. "So this is where you've been?"

"Rei-Son!" Orihime screeched in terror. She looked around, frantically searching for a hiding spot. She decided to just hide behind Hak.

"Don't use me to hide!" Hak protested. He stepped away to expose the barely concealed girl.

Before she could whine at the raven haired boy, she was yanked by the scruff of her yellow kimono.

"Come along, Princess Orihime!" Rei-Son commanded. "It's time to begin your history lesson."

"No!" she protested, struggling in the man's hold. "I hate history!"

"Why must you always be difficult, Princess?" her history instructor said in a tone of a man losing the last of his patience.

"But my baby sister's sick! I need to take care of her!"

"One of the maids or servants can care for Princess Yona!"

The auburn haired princess clawed at the wooden floorboards, hoping it would stop her . Her gray eyes glanced pleasingly at Soo-Won and Hak. "Hak! Soo-Won! Help me!"

"Sorry, Princess. This is your problem, not mine," Hak replied bluntly.

"My father would be mad at me if I got in trouble, Orihime," Soo-Won said sheepishly.

She gaped at the boys, appallingly. They are abandoning her?! In her time of need? "Traitors!" she shrieked bitterly. "The both of you! Traitors!"

"Princess, stop this childish behavior, and come with me!" Rei-Son griped coarsely, grabbing the young girl by the waist.

"No! I want to live! I want to live!"

And she was forcibly dragged out the door after that.

* * *

Soo-Won and Hak ended up catching Yona's cold, and they spent the next day laying bed in the same nursing room as her.

Now Orihime was busy nursing three children.

"How did you guys catch Yona's cold?" she questioned in disbelief, putting a hot towel on Soo-Won's forehead.

"The question is… How didn't you catch your sister's cold, Princess Orihime?" Soo-Won inquired, intrigued by the older girl's strong immune system.

"Didn't I say it before? Idiots don't get sick," Hak snidely remarked.

"Quiet, Hak!" Orihime huffed, angrily squashing his face with her palm. She paced over the large, covered pot she had in the corner.

"What's that, Sister?" Yona asked, curiously staring at the pot.

The older princess smile. She seemed almost giddy and proud. "I made rice porridge! Is everyone hungry?"

The younger kids' eager anticipation almost instantly transformed sickening green nausea into once they witnessed the disgusting abomination Orihime calls a 'rice porridge'. They all paled considerably at the wretched sight. The whole porridge was a nasty, gooey green color. It was bubbling ferociously, which was a definite _bad_ sign.

She poured the putrid stuff in each bowl, happily humming away. She carefully carted the bowls their way, and Yona, Hak, and Soo-Won crawled away in terror.

Orihime craned her head in confusion when she saw the pained expressions on their faces. She set the bowls down, and inched towards them.

"What's wrong, you guys?" Orihime questioned. "Is your fever getting worse?" She touched each of their foreheads. "Your fevers not any worse," she observed. "It look like you guys are in pain. Why? Does your tummy hurt?"

Gray eyes stared at the three younger kids in concern. "I'll make the pain go away!" She placed her hand on Yona's forehead. "Pain, pain, go away!" she chanted childishly. She did the same to Soo-Won. And then to Hak.

The three children didn't have the heart to tell that it's her cooking that's causing them pain.

* * *

**(A/N: That's it! The first chapter! The first few chapters is focused on Orihime's childhood before it hits the plot. Remember, this just follows the anime. However, since the anime ended on an open ended, 'go read the manga' type of ending after the Awa arc, it's going to completely original from then out. I never read the manga, and I don't plan to. Like I said, I'm not that of fan of Yona of the Dawn. But I am a huge Hak fan. He's the primary reason I'm even writing this fanfic. I'm a sucker for guys with black hair and blue eyes, okay?**

**Orihime - 7**

**Hak - 5**

**Soo-Won - 5**

**Yona - 3**

**Thanks for reading!**

**I am planning to write a second Bleach/Yona of the Dawn fanfic some time in the future. It would be Orihime reincarnation story, unlike this one. With Ichigo/Orihime/Hak as the main pairing. What do you think? Tell me!)**


	2. Willies

**(A/N: Here's the next chapter! Not much to say. Enjoy!**

**Thank you all for reviewing, faving, and following this story. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much out of this story. I was just doing it, just to do it. I don't know if anyone is a fan of Yona of the Dawn. _A hardcore fan_. So it really surprised me when people started liking this story.**

**Haku Mai: Thanks for the review! I'm so glad we agree on something. Yona of the Dawn is...meh [I feel like I've seen it done a million times before], but Hak is _so_ cool! And I won't drop this story, but I can't guarantee how frequent updates will be.)**

* * *

Willies

Orihime, now ten years old, fidgeting while Rei-Son giving her lesson about the Earth Tribe. Boring. Boring. Boring. It was all so boring. The lecture was just filled with stuffy politics she didn't care about.

That's why she was so happy when the lesson was over. Now, she can head to the kitchen and eat some snacks. She excitedly dashed through the palace grounds.

"What's the hurry, Princess?"

That familiar, snarky, boyish voice caused the auburn haired princess to skid to a stop, almost crashing into a nearby servant. Though, that only manage to cause her to fall flat on her face.

A snicker that turned into a full blown laughter erupted beside her. She glared at the infuriating, raven haired boy, who dared to laugh at her. He was eight now, and has grown up a little these past few years.

She climbed back up on her feet and dusted herself off. "Stop laughing, Hak!" she pouted. "It's not funny!"

"I'm sorry, Princess," Hak responded, but the mirth in his blue eyes told her he found the situation amusing. "I forgot how much concentration it takes for you to walk on your two left feet, Princess."

"Urgh!" She stomped her foot in anger. "You are so rude!"

One of the servants must sighted her fall, and came to check on her with a worried expression. "Your Highness, are you alright?" he asked in concern, checking the oldest princess for any sign of bruises or injury.

"I'm fine!" Orihime chirped with an energetic bounce, only to wince in pain.

Hak's amused expression turned into a confused frown. He bent down and slightly lifted up her light orange kimono. Just enough to to see her ankles. The auburn haired princess made a gasp of surprise when she felt his warm hand touch her cool skin.

"What are you doing, Hak? I said, I'm fine," she insisted. However, the younger boy wasn't having any of that. Not when he could so clearly see the dark purple bruise that was beginning to form on her left ankle. She must have twisted her ankle when she tripped. Urgh. She's so clumsy and accident prone.

He showed her bruised ankle to the servant. "The princess is hurt her ankle," he told the servant matter of factly. "Take her to the physician."

"Oh, right," the servant said, snapping out of his worried shock. He grabbed the older princess's hand. "Come with me, Princess. We need to have a doctor check your ankle."

Orihime relented, knowing that she lost the argument. She let the servant take her away to have her ankle checked.

"Wow, even walking is too dangerous for you," Hak remarked, leisurely following after them.

The auburn haired princess childishly stick her tongue at him in retaliation.

* * *

Orihime did her best not to cry as a physician looked over her injured foot. The healer carefully touched and prodded her ankle, examining her reaction.

"Well, your ankle seems to be a bit twisted, Princess Orihime," the doctor declared, giving the young princess a firm glare. "How did you this happen?"

She kept her closed out of embarrassment. She would humiliated if she told him she injured herself by tripping over nothing.

"She tripped over herself," Hak deadpanned, answering the doctor's question in her stead. A teasing smirk spread across his lips when he saw her face reddened even more.

The doctor just stared at Orihime with a 'you have gotta be kidding me' look, who just laughed sheepishly. He sighed in exasperation.

"You really need to watch your step, Princess," he scolded her like an exasperated father. "I'll wrap your left ankle in ice. Stay off your foot for the next few weeks." The physician got up to get some ice and bandages.

Hak crawled up to the distraught princess, and playfully nudged her. "I wonder how long the energetic and hyper princess can last without using her legs," he teased. "This must be a fate worse than death."

Orihime let out a silent wail and buried her embarrassed and mortified face in. The doctor came back with the necessary tools. He quickly and carefully placed the makeshift ice pack against the swell of her ankle and wrapped it tightly in bandages.

"Stay off the foot, Princess Orihime," the doctor advised sternly.

"Okay," the auburn haired princess replied dejectedly.

"I'm going to inform your father about this," he informed before getting up to leave, resulting in Hak and Orihime being in the room alone together.

The princess inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Okay, I can do this," she prepped herself. "It's just a few weeks. How bad could it be?" As if on cue to remind her of her original goal, her stomach rumbled loudly, causing her to flush once again.

Hak shot her one of his usual teasing smirks. "Wow. That sounded like a monster in there."

Out of frustration, Orihime began to childishly pounded her fists against his head. "Meanie! Meanie! You're a big meanie, Hak!" she cried angrily.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" the boy shouted in pain by his head getting pummeled the older girl. She stopped her assault on his head. Although, Hak still laughed at her plight, making her pout at him. He couldn't help it. It was amusing to tease her. Much different and funnier than teasing her sister, Yona.

"Hak." The wistful sound princess's voice caused him to stop laughing and to stare at her curiously. Her expression was...different. It wasn't completely giddy and cheerful, nor was it sad and reserved. It was an expression full of desperate longing. It caused him to grow quiet and just quietly wait for her to continue because it's an expression he's never seen before. "Hak," she quietly said his name again. "I want to...go outside."

He raised a black brow in confusion. "Outside? I'm not sure King Il would let you play outside with an injured foot," he said, purposefully staring at her bandaged ankle.

"That's it! One of these days I'm going outside!" she declared, pumping her fist in the air.

Hak smirked. "With a twisted ankle, I don't you're going anywhere," he deadpanned. "Besides, you'll kill youself if you go outside. But first, you need to learn how to walk, Princess."

She angrily slapped her hand over his mouth. "Quiet, you!"

Suddenly, the doors slammed up and Hak instantly froze. A man with gray hair in a low ponytail came barging in. The most distinct feature about this man was the scar going across his left eye.

"Grandpa?!" the raven haired boy yelped in terrifying shock.

General Son Mundok was shooting the boy a fierce, angry glare. "You brat!" he yelled. "How dare you distract the princess and make her twist her ankle? Come here!" He harshly pulled Hak by the ear.

"Ow, ow! Grandpa, it's not my fault!" the young boy protested in pain.

"Shut up! Did you apologize to the poor princess for making her injure herself? Huh, Hak?" The general bowed before her, forcibly bending Hak's head, so that he was bowing as well. "Please forgive this insolent boy for his rudeness, Princess," Mundok apologized, sincerely on Hak's behalf.

Orihime giggled at the pair's antics. "It's alright, General Mundok. It's my fault for not watching where I was going. I was clumsy. That's all there was to it," she laughed sheepishly.

Hak could do nothing but stare at the auburn haired girl, starstruck. There was something about her carefree laugh that sent his heart soaring. It was warm and bright, airy and invigorating. It was a vibrant laughter that was so full of life and passion. A sense of serene calm washed over him.

For the first time ever Hak was seeing Orihime in a different light.

For the first time, she was dreamy and radiant.

* * *

"Yona, you don't have to feed me," Orihime smiled, gently trying to turn the spoonful of chicken porridge that was waiting for her mouth to open.

Yona pouted, purple eyes gazing at her older sister in disapproval. "Sister, you have to eat!" she scolded her, probing her mouth with the spoon.

The older princess stubbornly shook her head. "My foot is hurt, Yona. Not my hands."

"Yeah, but…" The redhead princess saddened a bit, feeling somewhat dejected. "You're always taking care of me when I'm sick, Sister. I want to take care of you." She gazed at her with hopeful eyes.

Gray eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she beamed. So that's what this was all about? Yona just wanted to look after her. That was so sweet.

"Thank you, Yona," Orihime whispered sweetly, opening her mouth widely.

The younger princess grinned happily as she began feeding her older sister the chicken porridge.

* * *

**(A/N: That's the end of chapter two! Nothing much to say, except the next chapter will focus on Yona's POV, then Hak's after that one. Then a couple more chapters after that before the main story hits. Other than that, not much else to say.**

**Orihime - 10**

**Hak - 8**

**Soo-Won - 8**

**Yona - 6**

**Just leave any comments in a review, and thanks for reading!**

**I just realized something... The same English voice actors who voiced Yona and Hak also voiced Mei and Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist, respectively. Discovering that sent shivers down my spine because every time I think of Yona/Hak, all I can think is Mei/Armstrong, and that's...just...disgusting! But I'll get over it soon enough. Oh, the same voice actor who voiced Hak and Armstrong also voiced All Might from My Hero Academia. So...make with that what you will.)**


	3. Encounters

**(A/N: Chapter three! Enjoy!)**

* * *

Encounters

For as long as she could remember, Yona has always admired her older sister, Orihime. She was beautiful. Her long, auburn hair flowing gently in the summer breeze. The red haired princess was often envious of her sister's hair. It was straight and gorgeous while hers was unruly and ugly.

She was also very kind, lively, and optimistic. No wonder all the servants adorned her. Just because Yona was seven, doesn't mean she was _that_ oblivious. She could tell how differently the servants and maids treat her from her sister.

While the servants listened to her every whim out of obligation because she was a princess, they behaved differently when it comes to Orihime. When it came to her older sister, there was a certain spark in their eyes. Their responses to her sister's inquiries didn't seem forced, and they weren't overly stiff or too formal with her. The servants and maids were...genuinely happy to be in Orihime's presence. There was no other way to explain. They just seemed happier and more carefree.

When it came to the residents of the palace, Orihime was like the sun. She had the amazing ability to gravitate everyone around her, pulling them into her free spirited, magnetic hold. Compared to her, Yona was nothing. Just some do nothing princess living off the status of her father, King Il.

Kind, smart, pretty, elegant, compassionate, free spirited… Orihime was everything she inspired to be. And one day, Yona wishes she could step out of her sister's shadow.

Ever since they were little, Orihime has always watched over and taken care of Yona. Their mother was dead and their father was often too busy with his kingly duties. She was simultaneously both an older sister and mother to her, which was weird since they were only four years apart. She also acted like the cool, calm, and reliable older sister figure to Hak and Soo-Won as well, if not a little air headed and spacey at times.

Whenever Yona and Hak would get into a fight, Orihime would always break them with just a few, sweet words. Her dedication and kindness is what draws everyone in. She was incredibly mild mannered for the most part. The only time she _ever_ gets even _slightly_ annoyed is when Hak teases her and tries to get under her skin. Though Hak is _extremely_ unpleasant at times, so Yona can't really fault her older sister for losing her patience around him.

The only downside to having Orihime as an older sister was her horrendous and very questionable cooking skills. One time she tried to feed her, Soo-Won, and Hak something she called the 'explosive rice, veggie porridge'. It was… It was… There were no words to describe what it was. No words that could completely represent the horror that laid within the confines of that pot. It was the very picture of hell itself. Just _looking_ at it would people indigestion. It was just one of the many instances of Orihime trying to be...creative with her cooking.

Don't get her wrong, believe it or not, her sister is a very good cook as long as she doesn't stray away from the manual by adding her own personal...touches. One time a servant tried one of her...artistic cooking, and after taking a single bite, he ended up in a three day coma. After that incident Orihime's cooking was dubbed 'The Devil's Arts', comparing her cooking to witchcraft or dark magic. Nobody eats it unless they want a premature death.

Although, her older sister, Orihime, was always cheerful, bubbly, and optimistic, so it came to a surprise one winter afternoon when Orihime came back all mopey and depressed. Yona couldn't fathom what had gotta her sister all sad and down in the dumps, neither could Father, Hak, or Soo-Won. No one could figure out what caused Orihime's melancholic mood throughout the winter months. Yona didn't know what her sister was doing. There were times where she would be gone for hours, and no one knows where, not ever the servants and guards.

Then to everyone's utter shock and great surprise, Orihime cut her hair. Her beautiful, long, auburn hair that Yona admired so much, gone in an instant. It was the night right before her twelfth birthday that she cut it, so one could imagine everyone's astonishment when Orihime came to her birthday party with her usual long hair all chopped up and now sporting a short, almost boyish appeal.

However, while everyone was questioning her choice of...hairstyle, saying it was too...boyish for a princess, Yona understood that there was something more to it. There was something that changed within her sister, and her chopped hair was a symbol of that change. There was a passionate, determined, inner fire that burned brightly within the depths of her gray orbs.

She became more serious in her lectures and lessons. She doesn't even complain about her history lessons anymore, despite how much she hates them. When teased by Hak, she simply stated with utter determination, "A princess will never back down from what she says."

Then Hak tried to test the waters a little more. Yona knew, at the time, he was just joking. He wasn't serious with anything he said. He was a tease and a gadfly. It was just a challenge to him. The challenge was… If he became general, would Orihime give him a kiss? If she was so keen on keeping her promises, then she would dare to back out of this one. He even had to be a cheat and made her promise something _before_ he laid out the challenge for her. Hak was just being his annoying self, trying to push her older sister's button. Seriously, no girl would willingly kiss a guy that were not in love with. Yona herself would have slapped Hak silly for such a ridiculous request. Guess, he just wanted to know how far Orihime would go to keep her promises.

Then, one day, as Yona and Orihime were busy watching Hak and Soo-Won spare with wooden swords at the castle's training ground, Orihime seemed to be much, much happier and peppy for some strange, unfathomable reason. Her smiles, despite being softer, were more radiant. A smile she hasn't shown anyone before was gracing her face. She was practically glowing!

Finally, Soo-Won was the one to ask the question that was on everyone's mind. "What's gotten you so happy, Orihime?"

Her sister glanced at him with the same, soft smile before her gaze drifted back to the falling pink petals. Her grays eyes sparkled and held a sort of longing look to them.

"The world...just looks more...colorful. Spring time… It's here."

Yona didn't understand what those words meant at the time. Nobody did. At the time, they were all clueless by her sister's words. Until a couple of months later...

_He_ arrived.

* * *

**(A/N: This is the end of chapter three! Did you enjoy it? All I can say is just two or three more chapters for it hits the main story. Just be patient. Leave any comments in a review, and thanks for reading!**

**Orihime - 15**

**Hak - 13**

**Soo-Won - 13**

**Yona - 11)**


	4. Ichigo

**(A/N: Here's chapter four! Enjoy!)**

* * *

Ichigo

Hak didn't know what to make of this new guy, Ichigo.

He was quick tempered, rude, and brash. He addresses both princesses so informally, like he didn't care that they were a higher status. He was the same age as the eldest princess, possibly a year older than her. His hair was weird, too. It was orange and somewhat spikey, and he had fierce, brown eyes.

He was the eldest son of the general of the Water Tribe. He was disrespectful and seemed to lack discipline, but he was strong, Hak would give him that. Although, he couldn't get a good read on the guy.

But one thing he could tell was that Orihime really likes him.

It really surprised Hak though. He didn't think guys like Ichigo would be her type.

Urgh. What was so great about the guy? He was nothing but an obnoxious, arrogant prick. What does Orihime see in him? And what kind of name is Ichigo? Wasn't that a girl's name? Doesn't it mean 'strawberry'?

Nobody else could tell how much the eldest princess was infatuated with the guy. They didn't notice the way her eyes lit up whenever he was near, or the way her smiles became more genuine.

Funny, to Hak, Orihime looks kind of cute when she blushes. She's so much prettier when she's all lovey dovey.

* * *

Over the years, Orihime was getting more and more proposals from suitors. Of course she was. There was no denying that she was becoming increasingly beautiful as time went on. Her hair was starting to grow back, and her body was developing. And damn! Did she have a hot, curvy body!

Hak would often tease her about it just watch her squirm, get flustered and embarrassed. It was amusing. His teasing and taunting of her was just his way of coping with his growing feelings for her. He honestly couldn't remember when he did start liking her, or if there was a time he never _stopped_ liking her.

But he knew...he couldn't have her. It was around this time that Orihime and Ichigo became lovers. He didn't know who confessed first. He wasn't there. However, he was hyper aware of the fact that Orihime would send letters to Ichigo and vice versa every few months. And whenever Ichigo came back to the Crimson Dragon Castle for the annual Five General Meetings, he would spend as much time with Orihime as he possibly could during his free time.

Hak would gladly keep his feelings for Orihime locked inside him forever. For the sake of her happiness. He didn't want to complicate the close friendship between them, and he already knew what her answer would be anyway. Her happiness was all that mattered to him. Her happiness was his happiness.

* * *

It was soon after that, that Ichigo announced the status of their relationship in a frank and blunt manner, daring anyone to oppose, which was around the time of Yona's thirteenth birthday, that King Il offered him the job of becoming his daughters' personal bodyguard.

At first, Hak wasn't interested in serving the royal family. It would just get in the way of his free time and naps. He wasn't willing to deal with an idle and spoiled Yona twenty four, seven, and Orihime… She would just throw him off his game. Plus, she already has a lover. General Ichigo. He could protect her, no problem. Hak's seen his strength and his mastery of swordsmanship. He was strong. Almost his equal in combat. Besides Soo-Won, he was someone else he could rely on during battle.

Although, and this is just a hunch, but was King Il really asking him to serve Ichigo once he becomes the next king? It was undeniable that the king was growing fond of the spiky haired boy. It was as if he had already accepted him as his future son in law before Ichigo and Orihime were even engaged. He was basically just waiting for them to move further in their relationship and to be wedded already.

Yona, on the other hand, took a while to accept Ichigo as her potential future older brother in law. According to her, Ichigo was just as obnoxious and infuriating as Hak, if not more so. She couldn't understand why her kind and gentle older sister could fall for a brash and rude guy like that. He seemed to be her opposite in almost every way. Maybe she was just pissed because Ichigo doesn't show her undying respect like all the other servants.

But what could Yona suspect? Hak's only known Ichigo for a couple of years, and the one thing he did learn about the guy is that… If a person wanted his respect, they had to _earn_ it. Respect isn't something he gives out on a silver platter because of money, status, royalty, or power. He couldn't care less about all that. He snarks at Yona almost as much as Hak does, probably less. It seemed like Orihime was the only person that could get Ichigo to show his softer side.

Yona once questioned Orihime about what she found so charming about Ichigo? How could she possibly be infatuated with a guy like? It wasn't kind, gentle, or thoughtful like her crush, Soo-Won. He was quick tempered and abrasive. The younger princess didn't understand the appeal.

Her answer...actually surprised him, Yona, and Soo-Won. It...kinda stunned them.

"Sure, Ichigo is brash, rude, and blunt at times. But you know what? Those traits are not so bad. I...kinda like people like that. People are honest, loyal, and kind. Ichigo was the guy I met one spring, and he changed my fate."

So she was aware of Ichigo's flaws? This entire time? They thought she was blissfully ignorant of them. She never once complained about them. Only a light reprimand whenever he goes too far. And what does she mean by him changing her fate? Plus, her long hair was the symbol of that change. It was her 'red string of fate' that tied her to her beloved Ichigo.

Hak saw no reason to accept this bodyguard job. Ichigo should be more than enough to protect Orihime, to keep both princesses safe. He could easily and no doubt entrust both their safety in his capable hands.

Naw, they don't need him. _She_ doesn't need him. She already has a trusty and loving partner by her side.

* * *

"Hey! Let go of me!"

Princess Yona's distressing voice caught Hak's attention one day. She was currently being harrassed by Lord Kan Tae-Jun, the second son of the Fire Tribe general, Lord Kan Soo-Jin. Hak remembered Yona complaining to him a few times about how the young lord was always hitting and harassing her. Looks like he was at it again.

Oh, well. It wasn't his problem. Besides, if he goes to help her now, then that it would mean he accepts King Il's offer of becoming the princess' bodyguard. And no way is he doing that. He was not interested in the position. Not his thing.

He could hear some of the guards wanted to do something about the unpleasant situation Princess Yona was finding herself in, but too afraid to step in and stop in fear of incurring the Fire Tribe's general's wrath.

"Yona! Yona! What's wrong?"

Now Orihime came into the scene, perhaps hearing Yona's cries for help and her big sister instincts kicking in. Hak just wanted to ignore the scene. It had nothing to do with him. It was Yona's problem to deal with it.

"So you're Princess Orihime?" Tae-Jun's obnoxious voice rang out as he was now flirty with the older princess. "This is my first time meeting you in person. You're cute. Much more beautiful than your sister, Yona. Why don't you come with me to my villa? I'm sure you would love the garden there."

Has no one told the young lord that Princess Orihime already has a lover? Or was he just ignoring the fact?

"Lord Tae-Jun, I believe my sister has asked you nicely to leave her alone," Orihime softly countered him. "Please leave and respect her wishes. You should stop troubling her."

Things started taking a turn for the worse when Tae-Jun started harassing and becoming aggressive now. Ponko's, Orihime's dog's, barks got more angrier and louder as he viciously snarled at the young lord.

Ponko was a dog that Orihime brought into the castle one day. He was an injured puppy at the time. Aggressive and distrustful. King Il was wary about his daughter being around the dog at first. He didn't want any harm to come to his precious daughters. But through Orihime's love and dedication, she managed to get through to Ponko, and he's her closest canine companion. He became the new family pet.

Against his better judgement, it was at this moment that Hak decided to step in, having enough of the young lord's petty and self absorbed behavior.

It was a simple plan really. All he was planning to do was announce Orihime's betrothal to Ichigo, and he and Yona were already in a relationship. The latter was an obvious lie since he had no romantic feelings for the younger princess. He only saw her as a little sister, who he enjoys teasing to see her funny reactions.

He was not expecting…!

He really wasn't expecting…!

Orihime kissed him!

It was sweet, short, and chaste. It lasted now more than a split second. But still… _She kissed him_!

At that moment, his brain was fried. He was in a daze. He couldn't move, and he could barely breathe. It felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. Everything around him was blank. The only thing he could remember and even process was the soft feeling of her lips against his.

Was this a dream? It had to be a dream, right?

Now his mind was a jumbled mess. Urgh. This is exactly why he didn't want anything to do with royalty. Orihime throws him off his game. She kissed him… So does that mean she harbors _some_ hidden feelings for him? Should he ask her about it?

Hak was even more astonished the little petite princess was able to pin the young lord to the ground effortlessly. When did Orihime learn martial arts? And how? His feelings were mixed upon learning the eldest princess's hand to hand combat prowess. One on hand, he felt a sense of exhilaration and pride. She wasn't the air headed and dizzy princess everyone thought she was. It was a _real_ turn on. But on the other hand, he was slightly disappointed because she deliberately disobeyed her father's, King Il's, wishes not to learn how to fight or use weapons.

What was the need for her to learn martial arts anyway? She has soldiers and guards all around the castle that were more than willing to protect her. That dote on her more than they do Yona. They adore her. He's seen her on very friendly terms with some of the maids, and the servants seemed to be very at ease and comfortable around her.

"Leave my sister alone. Got it?" Orihime spoke in the same sweet voice, but this time there was a steely undertone to it that sent shivers down Tae-Jun's spine. The young lord conceded, and begged her to get off him, which she complied. Then he had the gall to point a sword at her! Hak was furious and his protective instincts rose.

However, there was no need for him to act because, of all people, the so called cowardly king, King Il, bravely stopped the blade his _bare hands_.

Hak now had a newfound respect for the king. Just like his eldest daughter, he had shown a side of him that no one would suspect. It looks like he wasn't the cowardly king everyone was making him out to be.

Now that Hak had discovered this fact, he would gladly serve King Il. He would become the princess' bodyguard. Seeing the king's bravery motivated him. The king was not a coward. No, he was kind and brave, and Hak had grown to greatly respect him from this incident.

He would guard and protect both Orihime and Yona with his life.

* * *

Half a year later during one of his night patrols, Hak was still getting the feel of the castle grounds. Although, he didn't mean to spy on, what looks to be, a very tender moment between Orihime and Ichigo. They seemed to be stargazing together. He should probably just leave the two lovebirds alone.

Although, Ichigo's urgent and serious voice stopped him.

"Are you just going to give up that easily?"

"No, I'm not giving up… It's just…"

"Are you just going to give up on your dreams that easily?"

Dream? What dreams? He felt kinda hurt. She never told him about her dreams. Hak wondered if her sister or father knew about Orihime's dreams. Man, he really wished he could get closer just to see the expression on her face. But he didn't want to run the risk of being caught spying, so he stayed where he was.

"It's just… Do you really think I can do it? I want to...become a benevolent ruler, but I… I'm not oblivious to the way the soldiers and guards look down on my father."

So, unlike Yona, Orihime seemed to be very perceptive. She was not ignorant, like she pretends to be, by the way people outside the castle look down and mock her father.

"Then you just have to make a vow to yourself that you will. Even if no one believes, stick out your chest and declare your defiance! Because that's the kind of woman you are! I know it in my heart!"

"You're too kind. You're too kind, Ichigo. You know that? But you know, that means I'm going to have to leave the castle one day, and travel the world. I need to view the world with my own eyes, so I would know what to do once I become queen."

Hak felt his heart stop. Wait! Orihime was planning to leave the castle? When was she ever going to tell him this? He thought they were friends. They have known each other since childhood. Did she not trust him? Was she ever planning to tell him, if at all? Or was she going to wait until the last minute? He was really, really hurt, but he kept the stoic mask on his face as he continued to secretly listen in on the conversation.

Ichigo smirked. "Then I would just have to come with you."

"No, you can't! You're one of the five generals! I doubt you are allowed to just wander the earth."

"Well, I'll just quit being a general. It's as simple as that."

"Wh-what?"

"You heard me, I said I'll quit being a general. You know the type of guy I am, Orihime. I always do whatever I want. Pfft! Royalty? Status? I never really cared about them. I'll do what I want to do. And when you go see the world, I want to be right there by your side."

"But…!"

"No buts! I'm staying with you, and that's that! I didn't become a general just to serve your father. I become a general to serve you, Orihime! You're the one who inspired me to become one! You're the one who changed me! I want to serve the future you create, Orihime!"

The more Ichigo talked, the more Hak respected the guy. He was proud of making the right choice in leaving Orihime in the arms of a very caring and doting man. He wouldn't know what to do if the guy turned out to be a complete jackass and torn Orihime's heart. Well, yes he would. He would rip the guy to shreds if that happened.

"You know, this could get really dangerous."

"I could say the same to you, but I am willing to go to hell and back with you, if that's what it takes to keep you by my side."

"We could be killed along the way."

"Then I'll just make sure that doesn't happen."

"What if I…?"

"I'm telling you I have no attention of leaving your side, Orihime. That was my promise to you, no _my_ desire way back then. If that were to happen, then I'm only saying this once. I'm going to follow you into death, if I have to! I'm not leaving you all alone! Never am and never will! It's not just your life you're holding in your hands, Orihime. It's both of ours."

"That's not fair, Ichigo. That's just not fair. Don't just throw away your future for me."

"Orihime…! How many times must I say it before you get it? You're my future, Orihime!"

"Then I'll just have to do whatever it takes to survive. Because I… I can't afford to lose you, Ichigo."

Hak understood at that moment, Orihime was officially engaged to Ichigo. They kissed, and he walked away, seeming to know he overstayed his welcome.

* * *

A couple of months later, she told King Il and Princess Yona about her engagement to Ichigo. Her father and younger sister were both excited and thrilled at the prospect of her getting married.

Hak would be lying, if he said he wasn't hurt and somewhat depressed at the thought of Orihime being claimed by another man. But if it was Ichigo, he was cool with it. The guy had earned his respect over the years. Orihime's happiness was his greatest happiness. He would be happy, proud, and honored to serve both of them as their bodyguard and right hand man.

* * *

But then…

That day never came.

The look on Orihime's face when she heard the news was devastating. Heartbreaking. It looked as if someone just shattered her heart. Her once lively, bright, gray eyes were blank and lifeless. Her sunny, cheerful smile was gone and replaced with a depressing frown. And her face was smeared with despairing, grief stricken tears.

She clenched the fabric of her yellow dress. "But… He was just here…," she said in a voice that was too small and trembled, being filled with so much grief and anguish that it was unbearable to listen to. Even little Ponko was howling in sadness, sensing his mistress's grief. Even the depressing rain outside was lamenting Orihime's loss with a sorrowful tune. Each sound was filling the room with a gloomy and hopeless atmosphere.

Hak couldn't look at her. He could look at that extremely pain filled and anguished face. He never saw her so broken before. He didn't know what to say. He was at loss for words. Nobody knew what to say. What could they say? No one knew how to comfort her. She just received such tragic, heartbreaking news a month right before her wedding. A wedding she was excitedly and eagerly looking forward to this past year. A wedding that would never happen now. Because...

Ichigo was dead.

* * *

**(A/N: That's the end of this chapter! Hope you enjoyed it! There are a few points I want to make. I also want to say I was listening to the first opening song of 'Your Lie in April' during the whole time I was writing this chapter. I think it fits with the way Orihime describes Ichigo as 'the boy she met one Spring day, and changed her destiny'.**

**First off, I know nothing about the Water Tribe. I only know a few facts about the Fire, Earth, and Wind Tribes, seeing as the anime left off before introducing other tribes. I heard, meaning I have been somewhat spoiled that there are five tribes in total. Besides the aforementioned three, there are two more, the Water and Sky Tribes. I just want to say everything about the Water and Sky Tribes would be completely made up. Like I said, the anime cuts off before getting into them, so I don't know anything about them. Unless the anime resumes with a season two or something of Yona of the Dawn, everything about those two tribes would be my own original take based on the anime thus far. That's why I said this story was going to AU later down the line. Because after the four dragons are assembled, everything would be completely original then on. Unless, like I said, the anime resumes before I ever get to that point. And no I'm not interested in the manga. I barely liked the anime. Why would I go read the manga? Like I said, the only reason I'm writing this is because of Hak. _He's_ the _only_ reason this fanfic exists. To me, I feel like Hak is the only character that keeps the anime interesting. I'm not that invested in the four dragons, Yun is an...okay character, and Yona... She's just like any other female protagonist in a reverse harem anime [even though Yona of the Dawn is not a reverse harem anime, but it sure acts like it at times, which is the main reason I held off from watching it for so long. It's almost like an reverse side of SAO with whole ' it _looks_ like a harem, but it's not _really_ a harem' aspect]. She's really not that special. There is nothing unique about her that sets her apart from other main heroines. She almost acts like any other cliche main female in a reverse harem anime.**

**Second, Ichigo was just supposed to be a minor character. His death is supposed to have more impact on Orihime's character and growth, then him being alive. I was never planning for him to be some big or great character. His purpose was just to serve as Orihime's first love interest, before she moves on to her second love interest, Hak, later down the line. So for those people believing Ichigo should have had more screen time or that he died too quickly, here's why. Although, there would be flashbacks of Orihime's and Ichigo's developing relationship later down the line. It would more or less serve as Orihime getting over her grief over losing Ichigo as time goes on, and moving on to her second love, Hak. I would also make chapters about Ichigo's relationship with Yona, Hak, and Soo-Won later down the line as well.**

**Orihime - 17/18**

**Hak - 15/16**

**Soo-Won - 15/16**

**Yona - 13/14**

**Well, that's all. Did you get all that? Good. Leave any comments in a review, and thanks for reading! Two more chapters before the main story begins.)**


	5. Lost Love

**(A/N: Here's chapter five! Enjoy!**

**Andromeda: Thanks for your review like always! You make me feel like you are the only one reading this story, and I appreciate that a lot. Unfortunately, you still have to wait a little bit longer before the main story begins. And why won't I just follow the manga after the anime finishes? Well, several reasons. 1] I don't know where to get the manga. And even if I could, I don't have the money to buy it. Unless, you know of a free online website that has it. 2] I heard that manga isn't even finished, so even then I would rather just wait for it to be completed before continue the story in case I want to start diverging things. But that's a big if. 3] When I originally started this, I kinda had my own idea on where to go after the anime finishes. That's why I said I _might_ turn this into my own original, non canon ending. That's what the AU is for. Though, I won't be above taking _some_ ideas from the anime and manga {if I ever get to it}. 4] Reading the manga would just make me feel guilty with all Yona/Hak moments in it, I guess. Assuming that there would be more moments of them since they are the main couple. It was easy to stomach _not_ doing Yona/Hak because their romance is barely developed in the anime. Just subtle hints here and there. In the anime, there is no reason to pair Yona/Hak together, other than the fact that they look cute together. Of course, this does _not_ include all of their romantic moments in the manga because I'm sure they have a ton of more chemistry and sweet moments that just wasn't developed in the anime because it was cut too short. That's it. Those are my reasoning.****)**

* * *

Lost Love

No one has seen Princess Orihime since the news of Ichigo's death. She locked herself in her chamber for days, only eating the barest amount of food to survive. No one could get her to move or respond. Not even her little sister, Yona.

Who could blame her? She just lost the love of her life. She was still mourning Ichigo's death.

Yona was the one who was the most worried. She would personally deliver her sister's meals everyday, and chat with her, even if the conversations are one sided on the most part. The red haired princess was at a loss of what to do. Your beloved older sister was experiencing a broken heart, and she didn't know how to fix it or cheer her up. After all, she never lost someone she loved before. She never lost Soo-Won. Her love was still alive while her sister's love was gone, never to return again.

Orihime wouldn't be looking forward to any more greetings with Ichigo. No more anxiously and excitedly waiting for letters. The one she got right around Ichigo's death would be the last one. She won't ever receive the joy of feeling his warmth and love again.

Yona could never understand what attracted Orihime to that brash man. She never understood how he stole her sister's heart, but Orihime had always been a good judge of character. Despite his rough, obnoxious exterior, Ichigo must've been a very kind and loyal man to capture her older sister's undivided attention, love, and devotion.

She knew how extremely bad and distressing the situation was when Hak hasn't give any of sarcastic or crude remarks within these past few days. Although, he was still an insensitive jerk. He hasn't visited her sister once since the tragic news of her fiance's death.

Though, on second thought, maybe Yona was being a little too harsh. He's been… What's the word? Pensive? Yeah, that's it. Hak's been more pensive, distant, and...distraught lately. It was hard to tell what her raven haired bodyguard behind his hard, stoic mask, but there was no denying the painfully dark and sorrowful surrounding him or the wistful and longing gazes he shoots her sister's whenever he passes by it during one of his patrols. The redhead princess could only conclude he hasn't visited Orihime because he didn't know what to say when he saw her. Guess, he really does care about her sister. She shouldn't be so harsh to him, and let Hak grief in his own way.

Yona tried asking her father to help her big sister, but even he didn't know what to do. He tried cheering Orihime up by offering her the finest jewelry, beautiful flower gardens, knowing how much she loves those, or anything else young women are into these days, but she wouldn't budge. In the end, King Il just sadly told his daughter to give her older sister time to grief and mourn for her beloved's death. He went through the same situation when he lost his wife and their mother. Only time could heal a broken heart.

Yona reluctantly agreed with her father, silently praying Orihime would return to her kind, gentle self one day.

* * *

Orihime felt numb. Her body felt numb all over. The world around her was blank. She could barely make out the sounds of voices that tried to talk and comfort her.

In her hand was a letter. Ichigo's last letter. She reread and reread its content a dozen, and each time it makes her tear up more than the last.

_Dear Orihime,_

_How are you, my love? I'm about to head into battle against some forces from Xing. I want to write this letter to you before I head out in a few days' time. Do not fret. I would do everything in my power to survive, so just wait for my return, my love. And about our wedding… Are you just as excited as I am? You know I am! I keep getting more and more impatient as the days leading up to it pass. I'm not a very mushy or poetic man, but I do love you, Orihime, very, very much. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're the woman I've chosen to be by my side forever. And I don't love you because of your status or the fact that you are the princess of the Kouka Kingdom. I love you for you. There are some things I want to tell you now because I just want to keep it between the two of us. So I will just deliver you my own private wedding vow before our actually._

_Do you remember the day we first met? I'm not talking about the time we met in the forest outside the castle. You may not remember it, but I met you way before them. You were very little at the time, and I only caught a quick glimpse of you, but a quick glimpse was more than enough for me to become infatuated with you. One smile from you, and you quickly captured my heart. We were both nearly three at the time, and watching in that flower garden was the most magnificent sight I ever saw. I fell in love with your beautiful smile, your lovely hair, and your free spirited and compassionate personality. You were a breath of fresh air, and your long, flowing hair was as beautiful and captivating as the sunset. It was too bad I had to leave before saying 'hi' to you. Though, I would never forget your smile. You made my world more colorful. Your smile changed me._

_Even as the years passed, there were no women who had a smile as bright and enchanting as yours. I bet you were able to win a lot of guys' hearts with your smiles. Hak, for instance._

_Speaking of Hak. Does he still have an interest in you? Truthfully, at first, I didn't want to butt in. You guys were friends, and I was just some stranger getting in the way. Although, as time passed and my feelings grew, I couldn't hold back any longer. I decided to just go __**all in**__. Especially after seeing your mopey and gloomy face. You seemed like you needed a good kick to get you up and running again. If you and Hak had a _close_ relationship, I would easily back off._

_Orihime, the time I've spent with you was one of the happiest moments of my life. I can't wait to spend and create more memories with you. I look forward to the day when we would become husband and wife. With you around, even the most trivial of things become significant and wonderful. I just have to ask though… Am I in your thoughts just as much as you are in mine? Am I in your heart like you are in my mine?_

_I should probably wrap this letter up. There is just one more thing that I need to really know… What are you going to do, if something were to happen to me? I know this is something awfully dreadful of you to think about. It wouldn't dare to cross your mind. However, I know I'm not as optimistic as you are. As much as we both hate it, there is still a chance I won't make it. I'm going into battle, and battles have casualties. I'm just a human. I have my limits, even if I am a general. I'm not immortal or a god. So I just have to ask, what would you do if something terrible and tragic were to happen to me? Well, here's one thing you should do…_

_Live._

_Live on, Orihime. Live on for the sake of the future of the Kouka Kingdom. Live on for our friends' sake. Live on for your father and little sister's sake. Live on...for _me_. Don't you dare think about dying, so you can follow me in death. I know this is hypocritical for me to say, but I can't bear the thought of you dying, Orihime. You mean the world to me. I'm sure others feel the same. This country needs your and your wonderful smile, Orihime, so live. Keep on living and moving forward. Stay firm in your beliefs, no matter what anyone says. Make your dreams come true!_

_One last thing, I left you a little gift. It's a necklace I found in a shop outside the castle. I know you don't care much about jewelry, unlike your sister, but I couldn't help but to buy it. I was compelled to, especially when it reminds me so much of your beautiful eyes. I love you, Orihime. Always have and always will._

_Your beloved, Ichigo._

Wet, sorrowful drops of tears hit the letter as it was clenched in shaky hands. The necklace was indeed beautiful. It was a simple yet elegant piece of jewelry. The necklace was made of sterling silver with a stylishly, gray colored flower shape design at the center with a blue gem in the center.

Orihime was already wearing it, and she would never take it off. It would be a reminder of her last gift from her dear Ichigo. She would keep it forever, so that she could always remember him.

She wanted to… She clenched her necklace, and her lips quivered as small, sad whimpers escaped her. She wanted to see her fiance one more time. However, she knows her father wouldn't allow her outside the castle grounds. She could already hear his voice reprimanding her that it's too dangerous to go outside. Because she's a princess, her life would be in constant danger the minute she steps into unknown territory. But… But…

But she just has to see Ichigo, or at least his grave. She _wants_ to see him. Just one more time.

_Just one more time_.

* * *

Hak was busy patrolling the castle grounds. It's the only thing he could, otherwise his mind would be filled with Orihime utterly devastating and absolutely broken expression of that tragic night. He hasn't seen her since that dreadful rainy night. He wanted to approach her, see her, talk to her, comfort her, but he would stop himself just minutes away from opening the door to her room because...how? How would he cheer her up? What could he do for her to return her to her cheery self again?

His hand tightened around his Hsu Quandao. Damn, Ichigo. How dare he die on Orihime, leaving her behind and breaking her heart. The raven haired man wished Ichigo was alive right now, so that he could kill him himself.

Suddenly, a rustling sound caught his attention. His body tensed and his eyes narrowed. Was there an intruder in the castle? How did they manage to get past the guards? There was no time to dwell on that. If there really was an intruder, then he would just have to dispose of or capture him quickly.

Gripping his Hsu Quandao tightly, Hak raced off to the source of the noise.

* * *

Orihime has successfully managed to sneak past all the guards. Memorize the patterns and times of all the guards' positions, stations, and patrols at every hour of the day sure does come in handy for times like these. She has sneak out of the castle in her younger days because of this.

She wore a simple light blue kimono dress with a short skirt, so it could offer her swift and easy mobility. She was also wearing a brown cloak that she could use to hide herself, but mostly to conceal her auburn hair because her hair is a dead giveaway to her identity. She was almost kidnapped once because of her hair. Luckily, Ichigo was able to save her that time because she used her hair to leave a trail to her kidnappers. He saved her life that day, and complimented her hair. That's why she calls it her 'red string of fate' because her long, flowing, auburn hair symbolizes her love for Ichigo.

She was almost at the gate. Just a few more steps, and she'll be out. Just a few more minutes, and she'll be out.

Gray orbs caught a glimpse of something silver and gleaming in her peripheral vision. She jumped just in time to dodge an assassination attempt on her life. However, her hood was sliced open, revealing her auburn head of hair.

"Princess?!"

The eldest princess immediately recognized Hak's stunned and appalled voice. Inwardly sighing and cursing her luck, she slowly turned around to face him. He had the look of absolute guilt and shameful horror when he realized he came so close to killing her. But then it morphed into one of reprimand and a stern frown.

"What are you doing out here so late at night, Princess Orihime?" Hak questioned her, checking her outfit and to see if he had accidentally hurt her.

"I...uh… I just…" Orihime knew she couldn't come up with a plausible lie. For one, she wasn't a very good liar in the first place. Always wearing her heart on her sleeve. And two, Hak knows her. He knows she's usually asleep by this hour. "I just wanted to go outside," she admitted, her soft voice full of emotion, her bangs shadowing her face. "I just wanted to see him."

The raven haired man's face softened considerably. "Princess, you know you are not allowed outside the castle."

"I know that, but still… But still… I just wanted to find him or visit Ichigo's grave," she confessed sorrowful, lifting to reveal her tear stricken face.

"_She's not thinking clearly. She's still grieving. She was willing to put herself in danger just to find him,"_ Hak thought sadly. His blue eyes took notice of her hand tightly clenching a necklace for the first time. She never had that particular piece of jewelry before. Then he remembered the letter she received the night of her fiance's death. Was the necklace in there? Was it a gift from Ichigo?

"Hak, let me go," Orihime demanded, already making her towards the gate.

He grabbed her wrist, effectively stopping her. "No," he refused. He refused to let her go off and wander the world aimlessly in the unsettled and low spirited state she's in. "You know I can't do that, Princess. Your father had ordered me to protect you and Princess Yona."

"Then…" She started trembling, her body shaking uncontrollably. Her lips quivered as she did her best to hold back her sobs. Why can't she go outside? Why was Hak refusing to let her go? All these rules…! It's just not fair! She just wanted to see him! _She wanted to say goodbye to Ichigo_! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!

"If you were ordered by my father to look after me and my sister, Hak," she started in a tone that was none too quiet. "Then, as the eldest princess of the Kouka Kingdom, I am ordering you to let me go!" she tried to command him in what she thought was a forcibly strong voice, but just came out needy and desperate.

Hak just gaze at the struggling auburn haired princess with a woefully sad and wretchedly dismal expression. His grip on her wrist tightened. But it wasn't painful. It was more of a warm and comforting manner. Still, she fought against him with all the might of a ferocious cat.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" she screamed. Her tone becoming louder, angrier, and more desperate as sorrowful tears of frustration shimmered down her face. Though, Hak wouldn't budge, no matter how much she frantically twisted her arm or viciously pounded his chest.

"You know I can't do that, Princess Orihime," he replied in a determined voice that was full of warmth and commiseration. He wasn't not going to let her go. Not in the despair driven, grief stricken state she's in. The king had ordered him to look after his daughters, no matter what, and he would obey him completely. Plus, he can't stand to see her so broken and desperate. It twisted his heart painfully to see how her so mournfully distraught.

"Why can't you?!" Orihime pleaded in a weak tone. "Just let me go! Let me go see him! _Let me see Ichigo_!"

"I'm here to protect you, Princess, even if it's from yourself," Hak responded in a serious and dutiful tone.

"Protect me, huh? Is that it? Is that what you want, Hak?" She half glared at him through tearfully miserable, heart wrenchingly depressing, and distressingly hopeless eyes while desperately holding the last thing she has to remind of Ichigo. "Fine then! You'll just have to share this burden with me for the rest of your life!" she furiously shouted at him with all the rage, grief, and sorrow she could muster.

Hak surprised her by getting down on one knee, and gently held her hand. His electric blue eyes gazed with such a fierce yet caring intensity that she kept stunningly silent, waiting for him to reply.

"Princess, I am your bodyguard. No matter what, I would protect you with my life. Use me to carry your burden. Use me as your strength to lean on. Use me as your pillar to stand on. Use me, so you can continue living," Hak finished with an almost uncharacteristic sweet and gentle tone in his voice, placing a soft, chaste kiss on the back of the auburn haired princess's hand.

It was at that moment that Orihime broke down. She dropped down on her knees and wrapped her arms around Hak's neck, burying her face in his shoulder, and crying her heart out. Only Hak's comforting hand tenderly rubbing her back soothed her from her grief and loss.

It's almost time for spring. Her first spring without her beloved Ichigo at her side.

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**(A/N: That's the end of chapter five! After the next chapter, the main story starts! Oh, I should also say that I'm putting the characters ages until the main story starts just so you guys would be informed of the ages of the characters at the time of the chapter. I also added their ages in the previous chapters. And for people who are curious about how long Orihime and Ichigo were together before Ichigo, you know, died. They have been together for about two to three years. Dating/courtship/lovers, I mean.**

**Orihime - 18**

**Hak - 16**

**Soo-Won - 16**

**Yona - 14**

**Leave any comment in a review, and thanks for reading! I also have a new poll up, so check it! Nothing serious. Just for fun for any Orihime lovers/fans like myself.)**


	6. Understanding Crushes

**(A/N: Here's chapter six of 'The Orange Sunset and the Red Dawn'! There's a few more chapters after this one before the main story will start. So sorry. Just be a little more patient. Anyway, enjoy!)**

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Understanding Crushes

Yona inwardly sighed to herself in a dejected manner. Another failed attempt at getting Soo-Won to notice her. Urgh. Why does he treat her like a child? She's thirteen! She's practically a young woman now!

"I'm even wearing these gorgeous earrings I asked Father to give me, but he still doesn't notice," she angrily pouted.

Orihime was busy blissfully humming to herself as she was writing a reply letter to the Ichigo sent her. It was nothing much. She was merely just asking how he was doing, what he has been up to since his last letter, if anything new or interested happened lately, and she has been doing since then.

The auburn haired princess wrote about how she was still training in the art of healing and medicine. She's been at it for almost a year now. Of course King Il was left in stunned surprise by his eldest daughter's sudden passion, interest, and eagerness to medicine. He tried to persuade her not to pursue because they already have doctors and healers and a princess has no need for such things, but Orihime was steadfast in her conviction.

She completely understood her father's mindset when he tried to dissuade her from the art of healing. Being a healer comes with its own series of risks. Helping out in the battlefield. Or the chance of catching a patient's disease or illness. Or she might have to go to dangerous places in search of rare medicinal herbs.

However, what her father doesn't know is that she's very athletic. She does routine exercises every morning after breakfast. It's a great way to stay fit, healthy, and in shape. Plus, she has a strong immune system. She's only been sick once in her life, and that was when she was very, very little. She also secretly practices self defense techniques before bed or whenever she sneaks off the palace grounds for a few hours while no one's looking. She was not naive or ignorant. No matter how much her father wants to keep her and her sister sheltered and protected from the outside world, she was already acutely aware of the dangers of being one of the princesses of the Kouka Kingdom. Why else would Father hire Hak to act as hers and Yona's bodyguard? Her life is in constant danger. Just being related to the current king makes her a target for assassination or abduction. In addition to that, she also desires to get stronger, so that she could protect her little sister, Yona, all her precious friends like Hak and Soo-Won, her beloved Ichigo, and her beloved kingdom.

Right now, she was in the middle of discussing what songs they should play at her sister's party. Her fourteenth birthday was coming up soon. In just a couple of months in fact. Orihime has been practicing the violin for years. She just adored classical music. So imagine her surprise when she first discovered that Ichigo could play the piano.

The way he played captivated her. He was so meticulous and passionate. There was a hidden spark of barely controlled wildfire in his playing. It reminded her of a calm before the story. So forceful and fierce, smooth and gentle. A beautifully rich and brilliantly vibrant melody. She had fallen deeper in love with him.

His fiery, passionate, and graceful piano playing matched harmoniously with her tranquil, elegant, free spirited violin playing. I remembered us playing at her sister's last birthday celebration. The surprised looks on everyone's faces caused her to giggle silently. They were all expecting some refined, old fashion music. Imagine their stunned and flabbergasted faces when they were met boisterous, energetic, yet tasteful and pristine song. She remembered her father lecturing her afterwards that a princess should not be playing such an...outlandish tone. She should be delicate and proper like her instructors taught her.

"Why are you laughing, Princess Orihime?"

The auburn haired princess did her best to stifle her maddening fits of happy giggles. Hak must've noticed her chirpy mood that's why he was curious. He always did have a sharp eye, even when they were little kids. He was currently casually leaning against the wall of the room. His Hsu Quandao was by his side.

"Oh, nothing really," she laughed. "I was just thinking about the song Ichigo and I played during Yona's last birthday."

A mocking smirk grew on the raven haired bodyguard's face. "You mean that racket that sounded between a mix of animals roaring and a raging storm?"

Her happy mood instantly soured. "It wasn't a racket!" she argued heatedly. "It was a song full of freedom and wonder!"

Hak snorted smugly. "All I heard was a bunch of disconnected noise. Not elegant at all. That's not very ladylike, Princess Orihime."

Orihime pouted. "You are such a rude man, Hak!" she yelled, angrily throwing a ball of paper at him, which he effortlessly caught.

The smirk never left his face. In fact it seemed to have only grown bigger. He greatly enjoyed getting the eldest princess riled up.

"This is so unfair!" Both Orihime and Hal stopped their bickering, well, more like the bodyguard relentlessly teasing and insulting the older princess retaliating, to turn their gazes on Yona in surprise at her outburst. Her face was contorted into an angry and sad frown, and there were tears of frustration brimming at the corner of her eyes.

Her purple eyes gazed at her older sister with an intense mixture of dejected hopelessness and sheer desperation. "Sister! How can I get Soo-Won to notice me?" she whined/complained. Initially, Orihime was shocked at first, but then her gray eyes softened in understanding and a bit of when she saw that Yona desperately wanted advice to help improve her love life.

The auburn haired princess smiled sweetly at her distraught younger sister. "Yona," she started softly. "Love isn't the kind of thing you should rush. Don't worry, Soo-Won would come around."

The younger princess pouted, unsatisfied with the answer. "I've been trying for years, and he still treats me like a child. I put on beautiful makeup and wear expensive clothes. I even wear nice jewelry and pretty hair ornaments too."

"All those years of hard work… One failure after another," Hak remarked in his usual sarcastic vibe.

"Shut up, Hak!" Yona screamed at him angrily. "Nobody asked you to speak, servant!"

"Now, now, you two." Orihime clapped her hands together, trying to placate the situation. "Hak, stop being mean to my poor, little sister. This is a sensitive topic for her. You should know better," she scolded him like a mother would chastise their misbehaving child.

Hak just shrugged his shoulders, nonchalantly taking a bite of the apple he took off the basket on the table. Although, despite seemingly indifferent, she knew he was apologetic, even if just a little.

Her gray orbs settled on Yona. "Yona, don't let Hak get to you. You know how it is. So rude and annoying." She could feel Hak's eyes on the back of her head, but knowing the insulted look on his face. "Listen, Yona, you are trying too hard."

That caused the younger princess to quirk a red brow in confusion. "I'm trying too hard? Sister, I don't get it. What do you mean?"

The auburn haired princess nodded her head, a soft smile on her lips. "Yona… Beautiful makeup, expressive clothes and dresses, and extravagant jewelry is nice and all, but I think you are forgetting the most important thing?"

"The most important thing?" Yona blinked in confusion.

Her older sister merely smiled at her. "It's quite simple really."

"Simple?"

Orihime guided her forefinger, and lightly tapped the spot on her younger sister's chest where her heart laid. "Here," she said, her sweet voice drifting through the air.

The red haired princess made a noise that was a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"Speak with your heart, Yona," Orihime answered her silent question. Her voice was filled with so much sincerity and genuine warmth as if she was speaking from experience. The younger princess stared at her with awe, listening intently to her every word. "You don't need dresses or make up. You just need to convey your true feelings into words."

She laughed, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. "I know my advice sounds kinda cheesy, but I don't know how else to put it. I mean, it's how Ichigo and I connect. He's very special to me!"

There was a pause.

"Sister," Yona started. "Why did you fall for Ichigo?"

Orihime blinked, caught completely off guard. She took a few moments to process her sister's words, but when she did, a huge blush painted her cheeks.

"Wow, Princess. Your face is turning all red," Hak amusingly teased the auburn haired princess. Although, he ignored the stinging pain of jealousy and hurt that stabbed his heart, he was just happy that the eldest princess was so incredibly happy, despite her blushing face. Plus, she was cute...downright adorable when she was shy and flustered.

Oh… The agonizing throes of unrequited love.

She shyly twirled a piece of her light blue pearled earring between her fingers. "W-well, what do you want to know?"

Yona pursed her lips and furrowed her brows, contemplating her next words. Everyone's attention was drawn to a loud barking.

They stared at Ponko, who was whining and pacing around the room. He was circling around an empty food bowl, his brown eyes gazing at them expectantly.

"Oh! Looks like I have to get Ponko his food. He looks hungry." Orihime started making a hasty retreat for the door to retrieve Ponko's dog food. Though, that was just a cover to avoid talking about how she and Ichigo met. It's such an embarrassing story.

However, she was stopped in her tracks by a persistent and determined Yona grabbing the sleeves of her yellow kimono dress. "Let one of the servants feed him, Sister," she stated, adamant on not letting her older sister cut the conversation short. There was also a mischievous glint in her violent eyes.

The red haired princess rang the bell, and not a second later, a maid came up. Per Yona's instructions, the maid was quick to take Ponko and his bowl away, so he could have his lunch.

Orihime inwardly cursed her luck. There goes her means of escape. She internally sighed. Her cheeks turned into a light dusty shade of pink. She quietly coughed into her hand, trying to regain her dignity and composure.

"Um, what do you want to know, Yona?" she asked, grateful that she didn't stutter as she sat back down on her chair.

"When did you meet your _special_ person?" Hak decided to ask in his usual teasing tone, taking in a seat in the spare chair.

She gasped in surprise. "H-Hak!" the auburn haired princess gawked at his nonchalant attitude.

"What?" the raven haired man responded with an innocent whistle. "You're the one that said that Ichigo was your _special_ person, Princess," he said cheekily, an amusing smirk plastered on his face as he watched the older princess becoming increasingly flustered.

"You!" She pointed at him. "_Out_!" She dramatically waved her finger at the door.

Hak feigned hurt. "But I wanna know!" he whined. He leans in closer, elbow on the table and his propped under his palm. "So tell me, Princess, how did you two meet?" he smirked. "When Ichigo first appeared at the castle a few years ago as General Yin-Dao's escort, you were very happy and excited to meet him. Why is that? Was the princess having secret meetings behind everyone's back?"

At this point, Orihime was covering her extremely reddening face with both her hands. Hak's smirk grew wider. She was cute. He could stare at her blushing face all day.

"Stop teasing my sister, Hak!" Yona piped in, frowning in disapproval. "Although, Sister, I am curious. You and Ichigo are engaged, right? Why did you choose such a boorish man to be your betrothed?" the younger princess questioned innocently, eyebrows furrowed in wonder and interest.

Orihime looks up at the ceiling and smiles fondly at the memory, a shy blush gracing her features. "Okay, I'll tell you, Yona. I'll tell you the story of how I met and fell in love with my Ichigo."

The red haired princess leaned in closer with a sense of excitement, fully intent on listening to her sister's story. Maybe listening to Orihime's love life tale would help hers. She fully planned to take in every word and advice, so that she could use it to help improve her chances with her sweet Soo-Won.

None of the girls took notice of the slightly dejected look on Hak's face. A sense of jealousy ebbed within him, but he quickly squashed it. He was just happy that the princess was so undeniably happy.

Besides, he could stare and admire her cute, blushing face all day. Who knew being in love could make a girl look so beautiful?

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**(A/N: That's it! Did you enjoy it? This was getting too long, so I decided to just write the tale of how Orihime and Ichigo met and fell in love in the next chapter. I know this seems weird since Ichigo was introduced and died in the last chapter, but I figured I'd go more in depth with their relationship. Ichigo is still dead, mind you. Think of this as a flashback/reminiscence chapter of sorts. Or that this chapter happens between Orihime and Ichigo getting engaged, and Ichigo's death. **

**Orihime - 18**

**Hak - 16**

**Soo-Won - 16**

**Yona - 14**

**Leave any comments or questions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


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